英語訳
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accords with the text. Other masters' different interpretations should not be relied upon.
Question: In this sutra, regarding clarifying the Buddha wisdom category, is there a meaning of taking wisdom as primary? How should this be understood? Considering both sides: If there is, wisdom is the mental factor of wisdom among particular objects. Even in the Buddha fruit merit position, why would there be a meaning of being primary? According to this, Master Cizhou in other places (Lamp Topics 10) refutes other masters' meaning of taking wisdom as primary. If following this understanding, in the present commentary it states "because Buddha fruit takes wisdom as primary." How should this be understood?
In my view: Even in the Buddha fruit position, the meaning of ruler-subject, primary-secondary relationships should not differ from the causal position. Here in the Consciousness-Only Treatise (Volume 10) it says "because consciousness is primary, it speaks of attaining transformed consciousness." The meaning of primary-secondary ruler-subject still definitely exists in Buddha fruit. Next, also in contaminated states wisdom is inferior and consciousness strong, while in uncontaminated states wisdom is strong and consciousness inferior. This means although the meaning of primary-secondary doesn't change, there is strength and weakness in function. Considering this analogy, when treatises take wisdom as primary, this shows the meaning of strong superior function. It's not saying it becomes primary through primary-secondary meaning. The Buddha Land Treatise also has text taking wisdom as primary.
Question: The sutra text praises the dharma master's benefits: "transcending all noble assemblies, surpassing the three realms, becoming the most supreme honored one." How does the commentary master explain this? Proceeding to say: It's causal stage benefits. Regarding this, since it already says "transcending all noble assemblies, surpassing the three realms," it should clearly be result-perfection benefits. Describing "most supreme honored one" is definitely not causal stage benefits, is it? How should this be understood?
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In my view: The commentary master's explanation most accords with the sutra text. "Present seat bodhi tree king" etc. clarifies result-perfection benefits. Knowing that this present text presents causal stage benefits. Since it already says "perfecting provisions," would Buddha fruit have this meaning? Here, because it surpasses the two vehicles, it says "transcending all noble assemblies." Because it constantly births in other-enjoyment lands, it says "surpassing the three realms." Compared to two-vehicle practitioners and ordinary beings, it says "becoming the most supreme honored one."
Question: The sutra text states "arising great compassionate mind, wishing to give peace and happiness." How does the commentary master explain this? Proceeding to say: "Raising compassionate activity." Regarding this, since it already says "great compassion," why call it compassion? Describing "wishing to give peace and happiness" should most definitely not be the compassionate activity of removing suffering. It's unclear. How should this be understood?
In my view: Loving-kindness and compassion are single-aspect merit. When simultaneously arising the functions of removing suffering and giving happiness, they should mutually carry those functions. Therefore when raising loving-kindness aspects, there is explanation of compassionate activity. Clearly raising loving-kindness activity and explaining it as loving-kindness activity is not the main intention of the explanation. That it's loving-kindness activity is definite. This shows the place of carrying compassionate activity. The commentary master received this sutra directly - one should respectfully believe it. Who would doubt it?
Question: In this volume's sutra, describing the six meanings of the dharma wheel: "able to kindle the supreme extremely bright dharma torch." Then how does the commentary master explain the matching of dharma and analogy? Proceeding to say: The commentary states "dharma torch is true principle." Regarding this, wisdom brightness comes and ignorance darkness goes. Since it already says "able to kindle the supreme extremely bright dharma torch," it should definitely explain wisdom function. How could dharma-nature true principle have supreme extremely bright capability? Moreover, regarding the Lotus Sutra's text of "torch removing darkness," the Great Master (Xuanzan) determined it as "destroying ignorant darkness."
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Destroying ignorance and deluded darkness - who would say this is not wisdom brightness? Then it's unclear. How should this be understood?
In my view: "Able to establish the supreme exceptional dharma banner" raises enlightenment. This is wisdom. Enlightenment is called lofty - this is supreme enlightenment. Also called "loftily establishing the dharma banner." Now since it already says "supreme" and describes "dharma banner," it's seen as clarifying enlightenment. Therefore the next "able to kindle the supreme extremely bright dharma torch" clarifies nirvana true principle. Should the textual sequence be thus? However, calling true principle "extremely bright dharma torch" means taking dharma body true principle to be named "light illuminating everywhere." True principle generates the torch of correct wisdom and eliminates ignorance darkness. Actually, although the meaning of extremely bright dharma torch lies in wisdom, since principle becomes what's realized and generates correct wisdom, it eliminates ignorance darkness, so nirvana also establishes this designation. If so, how does the Lotus Sutra's explanation of "torch removing darkness" create contradiction? Since originally wisdom-mind naturally has the meaning of extremely bright dharma torch, this shouldn't be obstructed.
Question: Can the four heavenly kings jointly speak divine mantras to protect sentient beings? Proceeding to say: Only the Heavenly King of Much Learning speaks them. Regarding this, the four heavenly kings all make vow-promises to protect sentient beings and speak divine mantras. Why limit this to the one heavenly king of Much Learning? Moreover, when staying beside the Ganges River and turning the diamond longevity dharma wheel, the four heavenly kings jointly bestow dhāraṇī. In the two chapters of Wish-fulfilling Jewel Elder's Son and Flowing Water, speaking divine mantras extends across the four heavenly kings. Adding to this, the ten rakshasi women completely speak divine mantras. Then the present chapter's explanation is unclear. How should this be understood?
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In my view: The expedients for benefiting sentient beings follow temporal circumstances and comply with people's inclinations. One shouldn't criticize sameness nor blame differences. Here in the present commentary, explaining the Heavenly King of Much Learning speaking divine mantras: "wanting to make them single-minded, making prayer requests easy to accomplish." The meaning is, if many here and there speak divine mantras, the minds of those being taught become scattered, and single-minded prayer requests would diminish. Sacred virtue is inconceivable. Although there are 80,000 bodhisattvas in the assembly, only the two bodhisattvas Medicine King and Brave Donor speak divine mantras, not others. If the spiritual capacities of those being taught are such that various teachers completely speaking divine mantras can deepen faith, then many teachers jointly speak them. Therefore the explanations in various sutras are not uniform.
Question: The sutra text states "physical marks like space, immeasurable, surpassing a thousand moons in radiating light." Which of the three bodies does this praise? Proceeding to say: The commentary states "praising the dharma body." Regarding this, the dharma body is markless, completely without physical marks. Why say "physical marks like space"? True principle is formless, completely separate from physical body. How can it be determined as "radiating light"? Moreover, the immutable eternally abiding principle cannot be called "all like flame and illusion." If so, the present explanation definitely has fundamental reasoning and should be clearly established.
In my view: The commentary master explains these five verses with two explanations. The first explanation praises the reward and transformation bodies. The later explanation, when assigning to the three bodies: the first verse praises the transformation body, the next verse praises the reward body, the next two verses jointly praise reward and transformation, the final verse praises the dharma body. In praising the dharma body, the first line praises the essence, the next two lines praise the arising function of reward and transformation. However, the dharma body being the essence of reward and transformation, establishes functional names regarding the essence. Like saying "light illuminating everywhere," since it already says "like ultimate not-